Number of keywords to track for clients

I'm curious how others structure their SEO plans for clients when it comes to keywords in local. I have a 2 part question for those who would like to share.

1. How do you structure your plans?

Do you...

A) Offer plans similar to a strictly organic SEO plan where they could choose from several plans based on the number of keywords:
Local SEO Plan 1: 5-10 primary keywords
Local SEO Plan 2: 10-20 primary keywords

OR...

B) Do you charge a certain dollar amount for local regardless of how many keywords they want to rank for since we have to do things we'd normally do in organic, PLUS wrestle with Google correcting incorrect data, building new citations, reviews etc.

Obviously if there are other factors in place like existing dups, that would require a custom quote, but I'm thinking in general for a new client who doesn't have a big mess on their hands right off the bat.

2. For local SEO clients, on average, how many keywords do you track and include in reports for clients?

Re: Number of keywords to track for clients

Hey Kristen,

Great question that I hope will spark a good discussion. We don't get many active posters or even readers over the weekend. I guess local search consultants take weekends off.

When I get time I'll share how I used to handle this issue with my Dentists and then hopefully others will weigh in as well. I'll try to remember to bump it and tweet it on Monday when more folks are online too.

Linda Buquet .:. Forum Founder, Google Local Specialist

If you benefit from advice here... Please pay the community back by sharing on social OR helping someone else at the forum. Thank you!

Re: Number of keywords to track for clients

Here is how I handled for my Dentists. Not saying this is the best way or only way, just the way I chose to do it back then. (Over a year ago).

I would tell them Google only allows 5 categories then would figure out their most important KWs/services. Then I would tell them they may rank for a variety of additional KWs for each category.

So for instance the KW "Cosmetic Dentist" they may also rank for Cosmetic Dentists (plural) Cosmetic Dentistry and City + KW, KW + City, KW + Zip, Cosmetic Dentistry in City State, etc.

So the above KW discussionwas geared toward their G+ Local optimization.

For their on-site Local SEO, I would tell them their site needs to be optimized for those same KWs in order to rank in blended. I did a core, but sort of mini SEO complementary package that was designed to compliment those 5 core keywords they selected as most important for the Place page and all the synonyms and variations.

So I would explain my core package includes the above, but was not a full SEO package for every KW under the sun or designed to help them rank every surrounding city. But for Dentists they really mainly want to rank for those 5 main keywords anyway. If they wanted more KWs or cities then I would quote extra fee, but I would always say let's start with the basics and make sure your most important bases are covered.

For tracking I would just plug in the most important KW variations, not every possible long tail under the sun. So I think most of my reports covered 20 - 30 KWs.

So that was my package, but I was not going deep and did not do on-going work. I offered more of a one-time package. FYI for those that don't know, I charged $3500 for that package which included Places optimization, my Getting More Patient Reviews Training Program and the Local on-site SEO. (As Kristen knows, all of that is offered in my consultant training programs too.)

If I was charging 1000 a month with a 1 year contract, then I would have been adding more KWs and cities as I went along I suppose.

Linda Buquet .:. Forum Founder, Google Local Specialist

If you benefit from advice here... Please pay the community back by sharing on social OR helping someone else at the forum. Thank you!

Re: Number of keywords to track for clients

Hi Kristen,
I do have mine set up more like an Organic SEO plan as you stated above. My background is Organic. I track a certain amount of keywords and then also add in the cost of sorting out the messes, adding a Google+ account, updating or changing Google+ or whatever needs to happen for them to do well. SO, I have a monthly fee based off of keywords and then a Set Up package that allows me time to adjust their website and Google+.

The set up package depends on what needs to happen. I have had new clients that required a lot less work than a client that had messes to untangle. I try to offer a quote based on my hours of work.

Hi Kristen,
I do have mine set up more like an Organic SEO plan as you stated above. My background is Organic. I track a certain amount of keywords and then also add in the cost of sorting out the messes, adding a Google+ account, updating or changing Google+ or whatever needs to happen for them to do well. SO, I have a monthly fee based off of keywords and then a Set Up package that allows me time to adjust their website and Google+.

The set up package depends on what needs to happen. I have had new clients that required a lot less work than a client that had messes to untangle. I try to offer a quote based on my hours of work.